Secrets
by PeaceLoveParvati
Summary: Soulmate AU, where Coulson is Skye's biological father and they've been lying to everyone about it. This takes the place of most of season two of AOS, and is after Age of Ultron. Coulson sends Skye to the Avengers for help with her new abilities, and they all find more than they expected.
1. Chapter 1

It was not supposed to go like this. They'd had it planned out perfectly. Coulson had given her all the information she'd need to get the team to trust her and hopefully help with her situation, but... she was guessing his information was old, judging by the twins staring at her from across the room. All of the Avengers, old and new, had gathered to hear what she had to say. The battle with Doom (and really, wasn't he the Fantastic Four's bad guy?) had just ended thanks to her, and now she was shifting her weight nervously as she waited for one of them to speak. It was Captain freaking America (her inner fangirl was squealing) who stepped forward first.

"Thank you for your help, Miss," he told her, studying her. He wouldn't be able to see her face clearly enough. It was covered just enough that facial recognition couldn't be used, which she knew must be driving Tony Stark mad.

"What's your name?" Hawkeye called out, looking curious. She gave him a look, but he met it steadily without backing down.

"Quake," she replied easily. That was, after all, the name her team had given her when they discovered what she could do.

"That's not a real name," he said with a frown.

"Neither is Hawkeye," she pointed out. "But that's the only name I've got for you." She could tell that most of them bought it, but she hadn't fooled the Black Widow. Natasha was eyeing her with curiosity. Clearly she had a tell.

"Clint Barton," he said with a small smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Skye," she said quietly. "My name is Skye."

"Do we get a last name?" Tony asked impatiently. She bit her lip. This was the tricky part. She'd discussed it with Coulson, and he'd given her permission to tell them the full truth if it became necessary. It meant they'd find out before her team, her family. She had to keep reminding herself that she was doing this to make sure she wouldn't accidentally hurt one of them when she got upset over anything.

"Skye Coulson," she stated, raising her chin. She'd known it would be an interesting reaction, but she wasn't expecting the instant hostility. Clint's smile dropped before she could blink, and she found herself staring down an arrow and a couple guns, a metal glowing hand, a huge hammer, and a giant green fist. "Whoa, easy there. You'd think I'd just threatened the world or something."

"You're lying. Coulson didn't have a daughter or a wife," Clint snapped. None of them had moved. She sighed, taking off the sunglasses so they could look her in the eye.

"I was born under the name Daisy Johnson, to keep my lineage a secret. Dad is convinced that if someone found out who I really was, I'd be kidnapped or killed to get to him and the secrets he knows. Actually, I chose the name Skye when I was four years old. They just called me Daisy before that, because it was convenient. Look, I'm not armed or anything. I can't control the earthquakes, and that's why I'm here," she informed them. Again, it was Natasha who seemed to realize she was telling us the truth.

"He spoke of a Daisy Johnson a few times, years ago. We assumed she was some fling, not a hidden daughter. But that would make you..." she trailed off, counting in her head.

"I'm twenty-five years old, as of June. Actually, it was in July that I got these abilities from the Diviner. I've been trying to control them on my own, but Dad- Coulson decided it would be best if I found help when I brought the base down after a nightmare. Crazy ex, long story," she replied.

"But he... Phil Coulson is dead, sweetie," Clint said, frowning. "Even if you are his daughter, which I don't fully believe yet, you should know that. He was stabbed three years ago."

"Ah, and this is where it gets complicated," she said with a nod. "He was dead, for five days. But thanks to project TAHITI, and Nick Fury's stupidity, he was revived and given false memories of a comfortable recovery. He only discovered what really happened last year, and we've been so busy rebuilding SHIELD and destroying the last of TAHITI, that we haven't managed to make it back here to talk with all of you. He sent me ahead to beg for help, while he gets the team ready to travel and all debriefed. I grew up learning about all of you. They didn't."

"You're saying Coulson was brought back from the dead, and Fury never told us?" Steve asked, looking confused.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Are you really surprised? That man loves his secrets," she answered. There was silence for a few seconds, and then they all started asking questions at once. "HEY! I get that you all have questions. I got permission to tell you everything I know. But can we do it somewhere private? I don't want to get recognized, because it could get ugly very quickly."

"You running from someone?" Bucky asked. He'd been standing mostly behind Steve, and she hadn't even noticed him yet.

"Hydra. Long story, which actually involves the crazy ex. He pops up everywhere, and I'd rather not have to shoot him today. Again," she nodded. They all just stared at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Come on, you've got a giant tower. Lets go there."

Pietro was silent the whole ride back to the tower, thinking over what the girl had said. She hadn't been talking to him, and he didn't know the man that they all seemed so upset about, but something about this girl was calling out to him. Wanda was watching him closely again, and he wondered if she knew something he didn't. She'd been giving him that same look since she'd found her soulmate in Vision.

"Dad always wanted to be your handler, you know. He talked about it at length. He hand-picked most of you, with the exception of Stark. You can thank me for that one, actually. I'm a hacker too, and I admire your skill. Stark Industries was the hardest thing to hack that I've ever accomplished," she was saying. Tony made some gesture with his hands, and they started using too many technical terms for him to follow. He tuned them out again and focused on the rest of the team. Everyone had been so tense since the battle ended. Usually, they'd go out for food and then go their separate ways. This time, Steve had asked them all to stay just in case they were needed again.

"Look, you can ask him yourself. He'll be here in two days," she was saying now.

"Two days? But that's forever!" Clint whined.

"He's been different since Mom... well, I bet you didn't hear about that, did you? Thinking he was dead, you probably didn't follow the news on the people he cares about. Mom- Audrey, if you're about to ask- passed away about six months ago. It was cancer, and there was nothing we could do. He's been quiet and reserved, and... he shut everyone out. Actually, did you know that he has a soulmark? It's not my mother's. They married anyways, and had me. They've been happy... well, they were. Now, he's pretty much ignoring anything that isn't work."

"He has a soulmark? Is that a recent thing?" Clint asked, leaning forward.

"He woke up with it. It wasn't there before. I don't think he ever told Mom, actually. It was our secret," she informed him.

"Then why are you telling us?" Natasha asked.

"Because I'm fairly certain his soulmate is someone on this team. I just don't know who," she said with a smile. "And won't that be fun to find out?"

"You said he's bringing his team?" Tony asked. "How many people are we talking here?"

"It'll probably be just FitzSimmons, and May. Hunter and Bobbi are fighting again. Tripp... isn't with us anymore. Ward shall never be spoken of again, don't even ask. So yeah, just those three and Dad," she answered. Then she paled. "Oh god. Okay, here's the deal. You can't tell them about me being his daughter. None of them know, because it's not safe yet. I want to be the one to tell them when the time is right."

"You have our word," Steve assured her.

"Thank you," she said quietly, looking down. "So you've never said... will you help me?"

He didn't know what made him do it. He'd look back on it later and cringe, because it was horrible timing and even worse first words, but he wouldn't change it for the world.

"We will do everything we can to assist you," he told her, not waiting for anyone else to decide. Skye gasped and dropped the phone she'd just pulled out of her pocket, staring at him incredulously.

"Okay, not what I expected. Not that I'm disappointed! I just never expected to find you here," she replied, eyes wide. Then she groaned quietly. "Those are horrible first words, I'm so sorry. You caught me off guard. I have _practiced_ what I wanted my first words to be! They were supposed to be 'My knight in shining armor, how kind!'"

Pietro laughed, shaking his head. "It is perfectly alright. I think your words were perfect, Ms. Coulson."

"Please, just call me Skye. It's so weird to hear anyone say my last name. I don't usually use it, you see. Not many people know that I even have one. My backstory that was created states that I was an orphan for most of my life, and I named myself after the nuns gave me some ridiculous name that I hated. I only ever go by Skye," she replied, blushing.

"I think we should give them some time," Wanda stated, ushering everyone out of the room and sending Pietro a quick wink over her shoulder as the door closed.

Phil was so tired of the arguing. FitzSimmons didn't agree with sending Skye ahead for help without any kind of back-up, but they didn't know that she was just as capable of defending herself as May was- as he was himself. They only knew the story they'd come up with to give her protection. Maybe it was time to bring the team in on the truth, but it wasn't his place. He'd talk to Skye about it later.

They were waiting outside of Stark Tower for Skye to come let them in. He'd sent a message ahead when they'd landed, but he hadn't gotten a reply. The doors swung open, but it wasn't Skye who walked out. It was Clint and Natasha, who both looked pissed. (Well, they had straight faces, but Phil had known them long enough to see how they were really feeling.)

"So she was telling the truth. You really are back," Clint stated, looking him over. Phil could feel himself paling, his hand moving to his arm unconsciously to touch the soulmark there.

"I am. Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" he replied, watching for a reaction. The stricken look was not what he was hoping for. It was only slightly better when he found his arms full of a shaking archer. "You all follow Ms. Romanov back inside. We'll be in shortly."

Tony's day wasn't going according to plan, either. He had not expected to find Coulson's daughter, who was apparently a better hacker than him. He also wasn't expecting to find out that Coulson himself was alive and just hiding from them like some coward. He wasn't convinced it was true.

"That's what she says, Pepper. According to her, he'll be here sometime today. Clint and Natasha are watching the cameras. They want to be the ones to meet him first, which makes sense I guess. I feel like it's a bad idea for them, though. Hey, hang on. We've got a group of people I've never seen before walking in. I'll call you back," he said, ending the call.

The group was small, led by Natasha. They must be the team Skye had been talking about. It was fairly easy to tell which was which. Fitz would be the curly haired guy, Simmons would be the woman who was seemingly attached to his side. That left May, who was very obviously the professional agent who was second in command.

"Great, a field trip group. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked May, stopping in front of her.

"We're here for Skye, and that's all. Don't make this hard for everyone, Stark," she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Where is she?"

"With her soulmate. Must be something in the water. Most of us are all paired off already," he lied. Skye was with Pietro, but they were the only ones (besides Wanda and Vision, and Steve and Bucky) who'd found their soulmates.

"Well your archer just found his in Coulson," May told him, smirking. "So I'd say you're lying. I bet you haven't even found yours."

"May! He's our host, don't antagonize him," Fitz snapped, frowning at her. Then he turned to Tony and gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry about her. She often wakes up on the wrong side of the bed."

"Ha! Guess what, Agent May, you're wrong. I've found mine," Tony said, grinning. Then he turned his full attention to Fitz. "Please tell me they weren't lying about you. I've heard so much."

"Y-you're my soulmate?" Fitz asked, cheeks flushing. "Oh my god, I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't sure I'd ever find you, after..."

"The accident?" Jemma finished gently. "Fitz has some brain damage from oxygen deprivation. He's getting better slowly, but he has trouble finding his words sometimes, and his hands shake fairly badly at times. Perhaps you can help him more than I can."

"Are you the doctor, then?" Natasha asked her, eyebrows raised. "Sounds like you've been caring for him."

"Oh... no, I'm not a doctor. A bioscientist, actually. But you're the reason I know so many medical facts," she replied, blushing. "And that makes four of us. Too bad you've already got your soulmate, May."

"Must be something in the water here," Clint muttered, leading Coulson into the room.

Skye was curled up on Pietro's lap when the teams walked into the room. Almost all of them were paired up with various Avengers, which she was sure she'd learn more about later. Bonding with Pietro had given her more control than she'd had before, and Dr. Banner was teaching her what she didn't have completely down yet. At the rate she was going, they'd be gone in no time. The thought brought her close to tears.

"What is wrong, Skye?" Pietro asked quietly, noticing.

"I just... I don't want to have to leave you. But when I've gained control, what choice will I have?" she whispered, pressing closer to him.

"Actually, we can take care of that," Steve called from across the room. "Super hearing, sorry. We were going to offer you a place as an Avenger when you managed complete control, but now is as good a time as any. Since so many of your team have found your soulmates here, Tony started designing new floors for each of us, so we don't have to separate."

"And you just assumed we'd agree?" Coulson asked. Clint tightened his hold on Phil's hand, making him wince. "I didn't say we wouldn't. I just find it amusing that you assume you know what we'll want to do. It saves me having to find a base close-by, though, so I appreciate it."

"So we're staying?" Jemma asked, sounding hopeful.

"Of course we are," Coulson nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

_"So she was telling the truth. You really are back," Clint stated, looking him over. Phil could feel himself paling, his hand moving to his arm unconsciously to touch the soulmark there._

 _"I am. Didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?" he replied, watching for a reaction. The stricken look was not what he was hoping for. It was only slightly better when he found his arms full of a shaking archer. "You all follow Ms. Romanov back inside. We'll be in shortly."_

They watched as the door closed behind them in silence, before turning to study each other. It was Clint who broke the silence first, as usual. He never could stay quiet for long. "You look exactly the same. What happened? I saw your body, I felt your hand... you were dead. There is no faking that," he said quietly, tears in his eyes. It was uncharacteristic for Clint to show so much emotion in public.

"Is there a place inside that we could talk privately? This shouldn't be public knowledge," Phil replied, meeting his gaze. Clint nodded and led him inside wordlessly to the elevator.

"My floor, J," he said to the ceiling. The elevator started moving immediately.

"You don't share with Natasha?" Phil asked, surprised.

"Nah. It's been three years, don't pretend you know us anymore. We shared a floor when we first moved in, but we drove each other crazy. I'm not the tidiest person, as you know, and she's OCD about everything being where it should be. We almost killed each other before Stark built her a brand new floor. That was eight months ago, after the Ultron fiasco," Clint explained. The elevator door opened to a slightly messy apartment, and a dog was jumping on him before he'd even realized it was there. "Down, Lucky! Damn, sorry Phil. I should have warned you about him."

"It's alright," Phil replied, bending down to pet the dog as it wagged it's tail. "I've always been a fan of dogs. I used to have one, growing up. It only had three legs."

"That's right, you told me about that a long time ago. I acquired Lucky the same time I got the apartment complex. I still live there part-time, because none of the others know it exists- minus Nat, of course," Clint babbled. He was wringing his hands nervously. "I'm only going to get today, huh?" he asked suddenly, looking down.

"Why would you think that?" Phil asked.

"Because you have an actual life outside of SHIELD that none of us knew about. A wife and a _kid,_ Phil. You don't need me around to mess more shit up," he said quietly, not looking up. "It's fine. I'll take what I can get, honestly. I'm amazed you're here at all."

"Clint, Audrey died a while ago. And she wasn't my soulmate. We married because of Skye, who was not planned. We only stayed together for her. Audrey found her soulmate before she died, and they were very much together in secret. When I got my mark, I told her, and she encouraged me to come find you. I wish I'd taken her advice sooner. I didn't love Audrey as anything more than a friend. As for Skye, I'm sure she'll love you. You're her favorite Avenger, did you know?" Phil told him, using a finger to lift his chin.

It really shouldn't have surprised him when Clint lunged forward and kissed him. Kissing Clint was nothing like kissing Audrey had been. He'd been in love with the archer for most of the time he'd known him, but he'd thought Clint had his own soulmate and children. Kissing him now felt like a dream come true. He didn't want to stop, and he suspected that Clint felt the same way as he deepened the kiss and wound his arms around Phil's neck to pull him closer. He could feel Clint's erection pushing against his stomach, and pushed his own hips forward to give him some friction. Clint moaned, breaking the kiss and breathing heavily. (Phil wasn't doing much better. He was half hard and breathing just as badly.)

"We probably shouldn't go that far just yet..." Clint said quietly. "We only just found each other."

"We've known each other for twelve years. I've been in love with you for ten of them. If it's all the same to you, I really don't care much for waiting. I won't push you, of course," Phil replied with a small smile, stroking Clint's cheek. This time he was ready for the needy archer in his arms.

An hour later, they were lying in Clint's bed together, with Phil stroking his back lovingly. "Did you mean it when you said you'd been in love with me for ten years?" Clint asked quietly. Phil nodded.

"Yes. But I was your superior, and I was with Audrey and had Skye to think of. I also thought you were in a relationship with Natasha, which you've thoroughly proven wrong. Speaking of Skye, I should introduce you. She'll want to know what's taking us so long, if nobody has told her. And I need to talk to her about our team, too," Phil replied.

"Wait, there's one more thing I need to... you knew the whole time it was me, didn't you? You and Nat are the only two people in the world who have seen my handwriting, with the possible exception of Fury and Hill because they were in charge. If you knew it was me, why the hell didn't you come find me sooner? Why would you let me think you were dead?" Clint asked, frowning. He had tears in his eyes again, which Phil couldn't stand.

"I'd been watching the Avengers news, watching you specifically. You seemed happy, close with most of the team. It just didn't feel right for me to force myself on you after it seemed you'd gotten over my death. I couldn't do that to you until I absolutely had to," he said quietly. Clint kissed him again, because he wasn't sure he could speak just yet. When he caught his voice, it wasn't steady. He didn't care.

"Phil. You know me better than that. All of the Avengers news was staged. I had to act like everything was fine, because the world doesn't want defenders that have issues. Steve and Bucky- and maybe Tony- have the world's worst PTSD. Natasha can't be touched from behind without attacking whoever did it. Bruce turns into a giant rage monster and spends half of his time on his own trying to find a cure. He only just moved in, you know. Wanda and Pietro don't trust Stark _at all,_ and they're only living here because they don't have anywhere else to go and they trust me to take care of them. I can barely close my eyes without seeing all of the people I killed because of Loki. Hell, I think Rhodey and Wilson are the only two people who might actually be normal on this team, and they're both military. I never got over you. I never wanted to," Clint argued. "I _need_ you in my life, soulmate or not. Hell, it can be platonic if you suddenly decide you don't want me like this, I don't even care as long as you're still here."

"I can promise you the latter will never happen. I can't promise I'll always be here, because the world needs me as much as, if not more than, you do. But I can promise that I will _always_ come back to you. I will always be here for you. And I'm hoping you'll be here for me, too. And maybe Skye, someday. That's where things will get complicated, though," Phil told him, pulling him closer.

"Come on, then. Introduce me officially, and we can have that other discussion you've been itching to have," Clint said with a smile, pulling away to grab his pants.

Skye and Pietro were almost never apart anymore, in the two days they'd been together. It was no different when the rest of her team showed up (minus her father, which what the hell?!). Jemma squealed and threw herself at Skye, pulling her into a tight hug. Fitz was slightly less enthusiastic, though he gave her a bright smile and a hug after Jemma let go.

"We heard you found your soulmate!" Jemma exclaimed, moving back to stand next to Natasha. (They'd all insisted on being called by their first names, which she was no longer lying about knowing. She'd come clean on everything she knew, and they'd told her even more. She might have more information that her father, and it made her smile. He'd be so jealous when he found out...)

"Congratulations, Skye. We've found ours, too, actually," Fitz admitted. He was standing beside Tony, who had possessively put an arm around him. Skye thought it was cute.

"That's so great! You guys will be happy, I just know it. But where's D- Coulson?" she asked, almost slipping. Only May seemed to notice the slip, but she didn't say anything. Skye actually figured she'd known the truth the whole time. Her existence was an extremely high clearance, but Fury and Hill had known... maybe May did, too.

"He found his own soulmate. They're... getting acquainted right now," Jemma said, grinning. "Can you believe we all have Avenger soulmates? Well... apart from May. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't bother me. My own soulmate is enough for me," she replied with a tight smile. Skye knew better. She and Coulson were the only other ones in existence who knew that May had not, in fact, found her soulmate yet. But her words had done something strange years ago, just after Skye was born, that made them think her soulmate had died. The words were still there, just hidden under makeup and clothing. May had long ago given up on finding him.

"Who wants a drink? I feel like now is a good time for a drink. Wait," Tony stated, turning to stare at the three agents. "You're old enough to drink right? Please say yes, because I didn't think to ask last night and Agent might kill me for getting his... you know. Yes?"

"We're all old enough. I'm twenty-five, and they're twenty-seven," Skye replied, amused. "And yeah, maybe don't tell him that you gave me alcohol without finding out if I'm legal yet. I'm flattered that you think I wouldn't be, though."

"Shut up," Tony muttered, pouring drinks for everyone.

"What did you do this time, Stark?" Clint asked, leading Coulson into the room. Skye immediately went over to hug him, ignoring the stares from her team and the knowing looks from the Avengers.

"None of your business, Birdbrain," Tony grinned, passing him a drink. "Drink up, because it's only one glass per customer tonight. No getting drunk, this time."

"Good, because we need to have a very serious discussion later," Phil said, giving Skye a pointed look, making her blush.

"Did Clint tell you that I found my soulmate here? I'm assuming someone must have mentioned it... come meet Pietro!" she babbled, suddenly nervous.

The introductions happened quickly, and in no time at all Skye found herself being led to the elevator (away from her soulmate, she thought sadly) to have that talk with Clint and her father. And wouldn't that be interesting?

May was standing by herself, nursing her second drink, when someone made their way over to talk to her. She hadn't had any peace at all in weeks, and she'd been enjoying the time tonight had given her to think about things as everyone else got to know their soulmates. She'd forgotten that Dr. Banner would be the odd one out, with her. So, instead of glaring or ignoring him, she turned to greet him.

"Bit of an odd night, wouldn't you say?" she asked politely, gesturing to the rest of the room and the two teams that had separated into pairs. Bruce froze and just stared at her for a minute. "Or not."

"Yes... it's been a very strange few days," he finally replied, staring at her intently. She felt herself pale as her hand went to the mark over her heart. "I was wondering if I'd ever meet you. It's been a long time since I got my mark."

"Mine... I honestly had assumed you were dead. It did something strange years back, burning and then fading to green. I suppose that makes sense now," she admitted. Bruce gave her a tight smile.

"I'm so sorry. I know I'm not what anyone would expect or want. I'll leave you alone. I wasn't planning to be here much longer, anyways," he replied, starting to back away. Her hand shot out to stop him before she could even think about it.

"I never said that I don't want you. Why would you even think that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My big green problem is usually a fairly big turn-off," he replied, lips twitching.

"We all have trouble with our rage. Yours just happens to be a physical manifestation. It's not something that's going to scare me off," she assured him, pulling him closer. They ignored everyone as they kissed, content to finally have found each other.

"So, you're soulmates! But that's great! I don't get what there is to talk about. If Mom could be happy with hers, why couldn't you be with yours?" Skye asked, sitting down heavily on Clint's couch and watching them shift nervously.

"How did you know about your mother's soulmate?" Phil asked, raising an eyebrow. "That was meant to be secret."

"Please. Give me some credit here! I'm a better hacker than Stark. How would I not figure out that Mom was sneaking out at night to see some random guy? Didn't take much after that to realize that they were soulmates and she was happy while you were pining. And still blank, until recently. Why didn't you make a move sooner?" she replied, smirking.

"That's not any of your business," Phil said with a small smile. "I take it that means you're okay with this."

"If you're happy, I'm happy. Besides, Clint is a good guy from what I've seen in the last few days. He's one of the only ones that didn't hit on me," she shrugged. Then she turned her attention to him. "You hurt my father, and I'll make sure you'll never shoot an arrow again. Got it?" He nodded, wincing.

"Skye, stop it. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself," Phil said, rolling his eyes. "Now, the other thing I wanted to discuss. If we're going to be living here, you should probably tell the others the truth about who you are, and who I am to you. I'll be there with you, if you want."

"I was hoping you'd say something like that. I almost slipped today, not for the first time. I really do want to tell them," she admitted. "I just don't want them to hate me. Actually, could May already know?"

"She could. You'd have to ask her. I've never told her, but that doesn't mean much with where we work. She had a high enough clearance, I believe. Honestly, the whole team does at this point, with me being Director and all," he told her. She grinned.

"Great! I'll tell them tonight, then. Thanks, Dad!" she exclaimed, bouncing up to hug him. Then she shocked Clint by hugging him, too. "Play your cards right, and maybe someday I'll be calling you 'Dad', too. Welcome to the family."

"So, I thought you all might like to know some things about me. Forget everything you previously thought was fact, because it was all a cover story. Dad thinks I'd be in serious danger if anyone knew who I really am, so we've been keeping it secret for as long as I can remember. I was born as Daisy Johnson, because he's too paranoid to use his own name on my birth certificate. When I was four, I chose the name Skye and took his last name because Mom made him give in. She didn't want me to have a different last name than both of them, and she'd taken his name when they got married. I think it should be stated that they didn't love each other. They stayed together for me. Anyways. Dad spent years training me in self defense and spy stuff, well enough to be one of the best SHIELD agents ever. I could honestly be in the same league as Natasha if I worked hard enough. I've got the training, I'm just out of practice. When I joined, he made me swear not to tell anyone. The ban was only just lifted," Skye explained, watching her team's reactions carefully.

"You make it sound like your father is Fury or something," Jemma said, looking confused.

"Oh god, he's not really Fury, right?" Fitz asked, looking alarmed.

"God, no. Uncle Nick would not make a good father. No offense to him, he's just too harsh. No, my full name is Skye Coulson," she replied, smiling slightly.


	3. Chapter 3

_"You make it sound like your father is Fury or something," Jemma said, looking confused._

 _"Oh god, he's not really Fury, right?" Fitz asked, looking alarmed._

 _"God, no. Uncle Nick would not make a good father. No offense to him, he's just too harsh. No, my full name is Skye Coulson," she replied, smiling slightly._

A full week had gone by and not a single one of the team had spoken to Skye. She had hoped they'd just been processing the information and would come back to her with questions and hopefully to laugh about it... but she knew better deep down. She'd broken their trust, and she could only hope that things would eventually go back to normal. As it was, she spent most of her time going back and forth between spending time with Pietro and talking to her father.

"I'm just saying, it's not like I've completely changed! I'm still the same person, my past is just different from what they knew. I don't know anything about May's past at all, and I know for a fact that at least Fitz has a secret or two," she snapped, crossing her arms and lounging on the couch in Clint's living room.

"There is a difference between a few small secrets and a secret past," Phil said gently. "It will just take time for them to adjust to a new way of thinking. They probably don't know how to act around you anymore now that they know how important you are."

"I'm not important! I'm still a nobody hacker," she frowned. "I don't get it. Having you for a father doesn't make me special. No offense."

"None taken. I agree, but I can see how they wouldn't. I'm the director of SHIELD, and you're the thing I try to protect most in the world. They know I'd do anything to keep you safe. That makes you special whether you want to be or not. You have no trouble pretending you're not, because you've spent your whole life being careful. You haven't seen how people would react to you if they knew who you _really_ are. Someday I'll show you," he told her, patting her arm. "Now, isn't your soulmate waiting to take you out to dinner?"

"He said to take my time. Apparently Wanda is having some crisis and he's trying to help her. I offered, but they both kind of shouted at me to go away, so... I ran here. Literally ran. When your soulmate shouts at you, it's just... horrible," she shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"He must have a good reason, though. Give them time to work through whatever it is. I'm sure it'll be fine. You already know he hasn't rejected you and he won't. As for soulmates yelling, I believe I have a very good idea what that's like," Phil replied, winking at her when Clint flicked his ear as he passed.

"You've deserved every last word," Clint informed him, dropping down on Skye's other side. "What's wrong this time? Wanda have another attack?"

"She has panic attacks?" Skye asked, looking surprised. Clint shook his head.

"No, magic attacks. When she gets too stressed, it manifests through her abilities. She tends to accidentally do a lot of things when she's stressed, and she doesn't always realize it until it's all over. So when she feels it coming, Pietro takes her far away from people and calms her down. Sometimes Vision is around to help, and sometimes he's off-world with Thor. I'm assuming that's what's happening right now, and why Pietro sent me to tell you he's got to cancel tonight. Have big plans?" he answered.

"Just dinner. Tony was going to pay, so we were going somewhere really fancy. I guess it'll wait for tomorrow or something. I didn't realize Wanda had problems like that, and now I feel bad for freaking out about my own. They're nothing compared to hers," Skye said quietly.

"That's not true. Wanda's are big to her, but yours are big to you. And to us, because we both care about you, too," Clint informed her with a small smile. "Your team still being dicks?"

"Clint," Phil warned, frowning at him.

"What? She's not a kid, I can cuss in front of her. And it's not like I was exaggerating or anything!" Clint protested.

"Yes, they're still avoiding me. I honestly don't know what to do anymore!" Skye jumped in, hoping to stop the argument before it started.

"I don't know what to tell you, kiddo. Did your dad tell you that most of the rest of _my_ team won't talk to him? That includes my better half, Natasha. She hasn't said a word to him. I figure she and Jemma are working through the feelings together. She needed someone to commiserate with at times like this. Jemma will be good for her," Clint replied thoughtfully. "In the meantime, you've got us, and the Avengers are all on your side."

"Somehow that is not reassuring," Skye told him, lips twitching.

"Sure it is," Clint argued, grinning and poking at her side. "Now get going! I want to ravish your father."

"Ew, gross! I did _not_ need to hear that!" Skye squealed, running from the room with her hands over her ears. She didn't miss Clint's laughter or Phil's quiet reprimand as the elevator door closed.

Jemma and Natasha were indeed talking about Skye and Phil. They'd been having similar discussions all week, all ending in disagreement and frustration. They hadn't completed the bond because they were both so angry and hurt by people they really cared about. Skye was one of Jemma's best friends, but she felt like she didn't really know anything about her anymore. Phil had been Natasha's mentor and friend for more years than she cared to admit, but she'd spent too long mourning his loss to feel comfortable going back to the way things were. Clint may have forgiven him, but she couldn't bring herself to do so yet.

"You know we'll have to talk to them eventually. The tower isn't _that_ big. We will run into them, and I don't feel comfortable giving them the cold shoulder," Jemma said carefully, hoping not to upset her soulmate.

"I know. I haven't left this floor much in the last few days, because I know he'll seek me out. I'm not ready to talk to him," Natasha replied, not looking up.

"I feel like maybe this is the wrong thing to do. Don't we owe them the right to explain themselves?" Jemma asked, frowning slightly. That thought had been bothering her for a few days now. Maybe she wasn't being fair. She'd kept her share of secrets after all, to keep Fitz and her family safe.

"Are you ready to forgive her?" Natasha asked, looking up finally. Jemma shook her head, unsure. "Then don't seek her out. Because that's what she'll be expecting when you do."

"Is that why you're hiding here?" Jemma asked. Nat glared at her.

"I'm not hiding. Everyone knows where I am. I am simply staying where I feel comfortable for the time being," she snapped, standing with her tablet to go to the bedroom. Jemma sighed and grabbed her arm.

"Natasha, we need to talk. We've spent a lot of time discussing Skye and Phil- should I even call him that now? Never mind, not the time- but we haven't discussed what's actually _important_ yet," she started.

"I assume you're referring to the words on my ankle?" Nat asked, staring down at Jemma's hand until she let go.

"Yes. We're soulmates, but we haven't even discussed if it will be platonic or romantic yet. I know that I'm open to both, but it's a discussion that is very necessary. Now is as good a time as any, don't you think?" she replied.

"No," Natasha stated, walking out of the room before Jemma could recover. But did she mean no as in she didn't want to discuss it yet, or no as in she didn't want a bond at all? Jemma wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"I'm so tired of the silence. People stop talking every time I enter the room!" Skye snapped by way of greeting as she made her way across Clint's living room.

"Hello to you, too," Clint said calmly, looking up from his crossword puzzle. "Phil isn't here right now, if you're looking for him."

"I'm looking for anyone who will listen and fucking help me!" she shouted, throwing her phone at the wall. The room started to shake lightly, and Clint jumped up to try to calm her down. He ended up pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back.

"I'm here for you. You know that. Have you tried starting a conversation?" Clint asked. "Maybe they're waiting for you to talk first. When I piss Nat off, that's what she does. She stays silent until I've had enough of being ignored and pretend that she's not ignoring me anymore. It almost always works."

"No, because if I even sit down, they all leave. I sat at the table next to May today, and she immediately stood and left the room. I don't know what to do anymore. I don't feel welcome here. I haven't talked to Pietro yet, but I want to leave," she admitted.

"I don't think that's the answer," Clint said carefully. "But if it's what you really want to do, I have rooms open in my building that you're welcome to. The people who live there are extremely nice, even if the rooms aren't all that great. It's an option."

"Thank you," Skye whispered, burying her face in his shoulder and letting herself cry for the first time.

It was Fitz who started the healing process. He didn't talk about it with Tony, but instead spent a lot of time in the lab silently thinking things over. He went over the truth of Skye's past a few times, having JARVIS replay the conversation so he could get the details right. It sounded like she'd still had a hard life, even if it was slightly different than what she'd originally told them. She was, ultimately, the same person she'd always been. He watched silently as May and Jemma avoided her like the plague, and he watched her slowly fall apart. He'd finally decided that she'd punished herself enough, and it was time to forgive her and move on. He hoped the others would follow his example, because he knew Skye didn't deserve what she was getting from them. She was still their friend.

He took the elevator to her floor after Jemma entered a room and immediately left it when she'd noticed Skye. Skye had jumped to her feet and ran out, trying to hide her tears. She'd failed badly, and he wanted to make sure she was okay. Instead of finding her immediately, he found Pietro sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. He looked up to glare at Fitz angrily, which he was sure he deserved.

"Are you here to yell at her some more? Please leave if that's your intention. I won't see her cry again, not tonight," he snapped, his glare not wavering.

"I'm here to make sure she's okay. This whole thing is ridiculous, and I'm done watching her punish herself. I've spent a long time thinking about it, and I don't believe anything should have to change just because she suddenly has a last name that happens to match our Director," Fitz replied evenly, meeting the glare without flinching.

"She is in the bedroom. You will leave if she tells you to, or I will remove you myself. Is that understood?" Pietro asked. Fitz nodded, and Pietro waved him through.

Fitz found Skye crying on the bed, lying face down so she didn't see him enter. "Pietro, I just need to be alone. I just... please, just give me a few minutes to compose myself at least," she said quietly.

"I'm not Pietro, and I was hoping you would want to talk about what's happening," Fitz replied, watching her worriedly. She shot up and turned to him, eyes wide. He sat on the edge of the bed and offered her a tissue from his pocket.

"Fitz... what are you doing here?" she asked, wiping her eyes with it hastily. "I didn't think you would ever talk to me again."

"I've been watching, thinking... I think this has gone on long enough. You're the same Skye I knew before, you just have a last name now. I can't let that destroy our friendship," Fitz replied, shrugging. Skye threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and sobbing into his shoulder.

After that, he spent a lot of time with her where everyone could see. He got approving nods from Coulson, smiles from Clint, and unreadable looks from May. Jemma stopped leaving her floor.

"Jemma, shouldn't you be at the team bonding event tonight?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow from the couch where she was once again on her tablet.

"I've decided not to go. Fitz has forgiven Skye, and I'm... still not ready," she said quietly. Natasha sighed and shut off the tablet, laying it to the side. She patted the cushion beside her, smiling slightly when a surprised Jemma sat there.

"We can have that conversation now, if you'd like. I've had time to think about it," Nat told her. Jemma gave her a curious look.

"What have you decided?" she asked, refusing to sound hopeful.

"I'm not good enough for you, Jemma Simmons. I've got a lot of bad things in my past, things I can never atone for. But with your help, maybe I can finally move past it. I want whatever you will give me," she admitted. Jemma's smile was blinding. "I've also had a lot of time to think about Phil and Skye. Firstly, I do believe you can still call him Phil. Nothing about him has really changed for you at all. Secondly, I believe I was looking at it the wrong way. Yes, I mourned his loss, but... he's alive. Why should I not be happy and celebrate that?"

"You... you're forgiving him?" Jemma asked, shocked. Natasha nodded.

"The same thought process could be used about your friend Skye. Sure, she didn't have the past she told you about originally, but isn't that a good thing? From what I understand, she said she was an orphan that nobody wanted. In reality, she had a loving mother and father, but she had to hide her identity from the world. In all honesty, I would much prefer the second. I've lived the first before. I think you should forgive her, Jemma," she added.

"I... hadn't thought of it like that," Jemma admitted.

"You don't have to decide anything right now, but I need to have a very long conversation with Phil Coulson. You're welcome to join me, as I'm sure his daughter is with him right now," Natasha stated, face straight. Jemma nodded, taking Nat's hand and letting her lead the way to the elevator.

 _Five months later_

"Damn it, Tony, I miss all the good things! Why don't you call me when stuff like this happens?" Rhodey exclaimed, storming into the common area where the teams had been gathered.

"You don't ever answer your phone, I didn't see a point?" Tony tried. Rhodey glared at him.

"Sam and I had to hear it from Pepper, Tony. _Pepper._ He was my friend too, you know," Rhodey snapped. Then he turned to Phil and gave him a small smile. "Nice to see you made it out alive after all. I wasn't a part of that particular battle either, because Tony _can't make one damn phone call._ Sorry."

"It's alright, Colonel Rhodes," Phil said, amused. "I believe the others had it under control. And from what I understand, you're an Avenger now as well."

"Yeah, when Tony passes on the alerts. I think that's happened all of twice. Sam and I miss all of the action," Rhodey grumbled. Sam walked into the room behind him and rolled his eyes.

"Don't be such a baby, James. I'd much rather sit on the sidelines with popcorn than be involved in all the fighting and probably end up hurt," Sam said calmly. It was Rhodey's turn to roll his eyes.

"You say that now, but I know how it is when we find out about it later on. You complain until I shut you up," he protested. Sam laughed at the others' confused expressions.

"Rhodey and I are soulmates, which you'd know if you'd bother to invite us to _any_ team activities _ever._ Just saying," he explained.

Clint silently handed a twenty to Natasha, who was smirking to herself. "Word to the wise, never bet against Natasha," he whispered to Skye, who was closest to him. "She knows everything. I think she's psychic."

"Or you're just unobservant. Perhaps a bit of both," Natasha responded, grinning. "And you can tell her not to bet against me, but you fall for it yourself every time. Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'lead by example'?"

"Shut up," he grumbled, glaring at the floor.

Skye just laughed, happy that things were finally at least mostly back to normal. Now she just had to decide how to tell her father that he would be a grandfather... maybe that could wait a few months. Although judging by the looks Nat was giving her, maybe her secret wouldn't last nearly that long. And maybe that wasn't a bad thing.


End file.
